I prefer it taste-wise to Gatorade but recently discovered that it's because of the high fructose corn syrup. I now only drink the "healthier" Gatorade which also features the great carb source in dextrose.

I sip on a bottle of Gatorade during my workouts and leave about 1/3 to drink on the way home to spike my insulin before I drink a protein shake.

Dextrose is not a healthy carb source, it is a dirt cheap carb source that will spike your insulin nearly as fast as pure sugar. You should only consume it when you are working out and your body needs the carbs for fuel.

I prefer gatorade but I sometimes drink powerade. It's a more pleasant way to stay hydrated when I used to drink a 5ths of vodka or whiskey throughout the night. I remember when I was in HS there was only a powerade vending machine. That was 10+ years ago and when powerade had that funky after taste.

Yep. Powerade and the like are a combination of salts, sugars, and water. If you drink too much water, you can dilute your blood even more on top of the salts you lose during intense workouts. It could lead to water poisoning.